NFL hope springs eternal for football bettors.
And perhaps no fan base is more hopeful than that of the Chicago Bears.
In fact, one Bears backer is banking on a big season for both second-year QB Caleb Williams and the team itself.
The potential prize? A mid-six-figure cashout.
Read on for more on that customer’s wager and other notable bets around the NFL and MLB.
Bears Bandwagon
Last year, in Williams’ rookie season, Chicago surprised many observers by getting out to a 4-2 start. But the Bears followed with a season-killing 10-game losing streak.
Chicago didn’t find the win column again until the Week 18 season finale, in a 24-22 road upset of the Green Bay Packers. The Bears finished a disappointing 5-12.
Coach Matt Eberflus was fired in late November, in the midst of the Bears’ losing skid. In January, Ben Johnson was named the new coach, leaving the Detroit Lions after a successful stint as offensive coordinator.
Time will tell if that leads to a major turnaround — and one DraftKings Sportsbook customer certainly hopes so.
The bettor put $2,000 on a two-leg parlay of Williams winning NFL MVP and the Bears winning the Super Bowl. The odds on that happening: a hefty +30000 — or 300/1 in easier-to-digest terms.
If somehow that parlay comes through, then the customer profits a whopping $600,000 (total payout $602,000). As the odds indicate, though, it’s a huge if.
DraftKings also took a $5,000 bet on Bears +3500 to win the Super Bowl. If Chicago lifts the Lombardi Trophy, then the bettor claims $180,000 in profit (total payout $185,000).
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Then there’s this small wager with excellent ROI potential but with a difficult path to cashing out: Caesars Sports took a $20 bet on Chicago +12500 (125/1) to go 6-0 against the NFC North.
If the Bears run roughshod over the division this season, then that 20 bucks turns into $2,500. However, that bet might not survive the first two weeks. Chicago opens at home against the Minnesota Vikings, then goes on the road vs. the Lions.
More Super Bowl Support
The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off a 4-13 campaign, after which coach Antonio Pierce was fired. Former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is the new Raiders coach, and he lured former Seahawks QB Geno Smith to join him.
Oddsmakers are hardly convinced that the Raiders are a Super Bowl threat. But again, it’s preseason, when the public betting masses have visions of grandeur.
At Caesars Sports, a bettor put $4,000 on the Raiders +9000 to win Super Bowl 60. A Las Vegas championship would net that bettor a healthy $360,000 profit (total payout $364,000).
More Super Bowl flier bets:
- $2,000 Raiders +9000 (Caesars), to win $180,000
- $1,000 Carolina Panthers +12000 (DraftKings), to win $120,000
- $1,000 Jacksonville Jaguars +11000 (DraftKings), to win $110,000
- $300 Indianapolis Colts +10000 (Caesars), to win $30,000
- $250 New York Giants +20000 (Caesars), to win $50,000
The New England Patriots have better odds than all four of those teams, though not by much. That didn’t stop a DraftKings customer from plunking $10,000 on Patriots +8000 to win the Super Bowl.
If new coach Mike Vrabel and second-year QB Drake Maye have an absolutely stellar season, then that bettor will be rolling in $800,000 of profit (total payout $810,000).
And how about this long-shot play: A Caesars Sports bettor put $75 on the Panthers beating the Jets in the Super Bowl, at odds of +100000. That’s 1000/1.
Both teams went 5-12 last season. But if somehow this unlikely matchup happens, and Bryce Young & Co. win it all, then that meager 75 bucks becomes $75,000.
Around The Horn
It’s not often that 60 cents becomes a thousand dollars — but it happened on Sunday.
A DraftKings Sportsbook customer, perhaps with only pocket change left in a mobile account, put those 60 cents on a two-leg player prop parlay:
- New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe to triple against the Miami Marlins
- San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill to triple vs. the St. Louis Cardinals
Both players delivered a triple, and at odds of +168000 (1680/1), the bettor banked $1,008 in profit. That’s the kind of ROI any of us could get behind.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, a Caesars Sports customer bet a lot to win a little. The Detroit Tigers, who lead the AL Central by six games, are an almost mortal lock to make the playoffs.
Earlier this week, on the Yes/No prop of Tigers to reach the postseason, Yes was an overwhelming -8000 favorite. That means it would take an $8,000 bet to win $100.
The bettor decided to double that, putting $16,000 on Tigers -8000. As long as Detroit doesn’t totally implode between now and Sept. 28, that customer will win all of $200.
As always, keep in mind that the aforementioned big bets often come from high-roller types who can afford it. Keep it reasonable. Never bet more than you can afford to lose.
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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